


The Secrets We Keep

by shimmeringdelight



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: BAMF Spencer Reid, Gay Spencer Reid, Gen, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Kidnapping, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, No Beta, Secret Relationship, Spencer Reid Whump, We Die Like Men, a reid centric fic without reid?, cannot believe these people think reid is straight, lowkey anti-team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:19:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29270139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shimmeringdelight/pseuds/shimmeringdelight
Summary: After Reid is taken, Prentiss and Morgan interview Reid's friends in hopes of uncovering a lead.It turns out they don't know him much at all.tw: mentions of domestic violenceplease do not read if this may trigger you
Relationships: Derek Morgan & Spencer Reid, Emily Prentiss & Spencer Reid, Spencer Reid/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 101





	The Secrets We Keep

**Author's Note:**

> hello! long time no see
> 
> this story has trigger warnings for domestic violence (specifically against men)
> 
> if that may trigger you please do not read this fic
> 
> if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence here is a link with helpful resources:
> 
> https://www.shatteringthesilence.org/trauma-help

“Sir, we’re Agents Prentiss and Morgan. We’d like to ask you a few questions about your friend, Spencer Reid.” They each flashed their badge to the man wiping down the counter. 

“Oh. You’re his team.” The man said with apprehension clear in his voice. “I’m closing up but there’s a diner open 24 hours across the street. I can meet you there in 10.”

The agents were confused by his tone but agreed anyway and made their way out of the small shop. 

“What was that about?” Morgan asked Prentiss once they had ordered their drinks. 

“I’m not sure. Maybe a general distrust because we work for the government.”

“I thought so but then why would he be friends with Reid?”

Prentiss looked over Morgan’s shoulder and saw the small man from the coffee shop enter the diner. She got up and sat next to Morgan so the man could take a seat across from them. 

“I’m not sure but we’re about to find out.”

The man reached the booth and took a seat across from them. 

“Agents” the man said but made no effort to continue. 

“Mr. Smith. When’s the last time you saw Agent Reid?” Morgan asked. 

“I saw Spencer Thursday night. A bunch of us usually go out to eat every Thursday he’s in town. He seemed normal. Nothing out of the usual. Is he in trouble?” The man asked clearly became more concerned the more he spoke. 

“Sir we have reason to believe Spencer has been kidnapped. Do you know anyone who’d want to hurt him?”

“Oh god” The man put his hand over his mouth, clearly horrified at the thought of his friend being kidnapped. “No. I-uh sorry. He’s so sweet. How could anyone do that to him? He’s been through so much already.”

The agents looked at each other confused. They hadn’t known how close their coworker and this man were. They had interviewed him because they knew Reid had frequented the man’s coffee shop and there were a few texts between Reid and a Patrick Smith who owned said coffee shop. The way Patrick talked about him made it seem like they were close friends. 

“We’re not sure, sir. You said you saw him Thursday? Could you tell us the names of the people who were there so we can talk to them?”

“Yeah but they probably didn’t notice anything either. They would’ve said something if they did. It was me, my boyfriend Ryan Wang, Rylee McNamara, Joseph Martinez, Spencer, and his fiancé.”

Morgan, who was texting Garcia the names until the last part froze. 

“I’m sorry. Did you say fiancée?” From the looks of Spencer’s contacts, most of Spencer’s friends are guys. They had already spoken to most of the women on that list. Surely one of them would have said something if they were engaged to Spencer. Right?

Patrick’s expression went back to being as guarded as it was when the agents had first walked into his coffee shop. 

“Yeah I didn’t think he would tell you guys." 

“Why? We’re his best friends.” Morgan asked defensively. 

The man raised his eyebrows “Are you? You didn’t even know he had a fiancé until a minute ago. You’re Agent Morgan right? You’re the one who treats him like a kid even though he’s a decorated FBI agent. Yeah I don’t think I would’ve told you either. You probably didn’t even know he had friends outside work until you actually started looking for him.”

Morgan looked like he was going to take the man’s head off. Before he could speak, Prentiss tried to defuse the situation. 

“I’m sorry sir. We weren’t aware that Spencer even had a girlfriend. Can you tell us her name so we could speak to her?”

The man across from her closed up. “It’s not really my place. Spencer should be the one to tell you."

“Sir please. He’s missing and talking to her could help us find him.” She pushed. 

The man looked conflicted but answered anyway. “His name is Akamai Kahue. A-k-a-m-a-i K-a-h-u-e. It’s Hawaiian. They’ve been together for 2 years. Oh god I should call him. He’s been out of town trying to get funding for the center. It’s probably best he hears it from me first. I’m the one who convinced Spencer to ask him out about a year after we all started the center.”

Prentiss was shocked. 2 years? How had she missed this? How had they all missed it?

Morgan interrupted her thoughts. “I’m sorry sir. Did you say center? Could we get the name for it?”

“Yeah sorry. I didn’t think of it before. It’s the Carmichael Men’s Domestic Violence Shelter. Rylee, Akamai, Spencer and I opened it a couple of years ago. Akamai’s officially the president and does it as his full-time job. All 6 of us including Ryan and Joseph are the board members though. Akamai’s up in Albany trying to get more funding. Unfortunately it’s nearly impossible because everyone seems to think men can’t be abused because they’re usually the abusers. We’re the only men’s domestic violence shelter in the entire country.”

Prentiss glanced over and it looked like Morgan was relaying the information to Garcia. 

“I imagine there’s a lot of people who are upset by the center. Have you gotten any threats?”

“We get them all the time. Ryan keeps them on file in his office. We forward them to the police but most of them are never followed up on. We’ve never gotten any personal threats to us that I’m aware of. Most of them just talk about the shelter generally. Usually angry ex-boyfriends or girlfriends demanding we tell them where someone is.”

Morgan looked up from his phone looking confused. “We’d like to take a look at them if we can that way we can follow up on any potential leads. I’m sorry but there wasn’t an Akamai in any of Spencer’s contacts. Are you sure that’s his name?”

“Yes. I’m positive. It would probably be on his phone from the center anyways. Not his FBI one. He was always cautious to keep his work and private life separate.”

He gave the number to Morgan so Garcia could check it out and Patrick promised that he and Ryan would send over the files of threats they received in the morning. When the check came, Emily stood up so Morgan could walk up to the front counter. She sat back down and thanked Mr. Smith for his help. “There’s one more thing. I didn’t think of it until the other agent brought up the center and I wasn’t sure if I should tell you since Spencer doesn’t like to talk about it to anyone. The reason the 4 of us know each other is because we used to go to the same support group for male survivors of domestic violence. I don’t know the guy’s name but Akamai could probably tell you. I know about a year ago the guy showed up at Spencer’s place. He was all freaked out and ended up staying with Akamai for a month before he moved places. I don’t know if anything has happened since.”

Prentiss’ mouth was nearly agape but she managed to compose herself. “Thank you sir. Akamai is next on our list to talk to. We’ll make sure we get the information from him.”

The man smiled sadly. “I’m going to call him now. He told Spencer he was coming back tomorrow night but booked a flight for tonight to surprise Spencer.” 

Morgan came back over to both of them. “Thank you for your help Mr. Smith. Here’s my card in case you think of something else.” 

The man took the card from the agent’s hand. “Of course.” 

They each said goodbye and got into their separate cars once they left the diner. 

Morgan was driving and Prentiss was riding shotgun. Morgan fiddled with the radio until he found something he liked but after a few minutes Prentiss turned it off and spoke up. 

“Should we be on this case?” She’d been asking herself that question since they learned Reid was engaged and her doubts only grew with the more they discovered. 

Morgan sighed. “I’m not sure. I think we at least need another team working this with us.” 

Prentiss had been expecting Morgan to fight her and say that they were the best. That of course they should be working Reid’s case. 

“I think we’re letting our own biases get in the way of the investigation. I mean we barely looked for a girlfriend because we figured we’d know if he was seeing someone. How often have we heard that before?”

“I know. Smith was right. We didn’t expect him to have many friends. I had Garcia search up his second phone. She said it didn’t show up before because the shelter pays for it. We’ve got a long way to go with potential suspects.”

“That’s not all” Prentiss said grimly “Apparently the 4 of them met from a domestic violence support group. Reid was abused and apparently the guy showed up at his apartment last year. That’s why he moved.” Reid had told them he moved because he finally got a spot in a rent controlled apartment complex. He seemed happy about the move at the time and the team hadn’t thought much of it. 

“Damn” Morgan hit the steering wheel, cursing at both the still traffic in front of them and the new revelation about their friend. “Did you get a name on the guy?”

“No he said Akamai would know though. I’m not sure if he pressed charges but Garcia can look for a police report or hospital records.” She leaned against the window. The thought of her friend showing up battered and bruised at a hospital clearly making her more upset. 

“I think you’re right.” he paused for a moment “Another team needs to take the lead on this. We’re too close and he’s already been missing 14 hours. I’m not saying we should be off the case completely but maybe we should just keep looking over old cases and check out the threats to the center. We could let another team deal with victimology and interviewing witnesses.”

“Yeah that sounds like a good plan. We should talk to Hotch about it when we get back to Quantico.” They sat in silence still stunned by the events of the day. It seemed like everything they knew about Reid was flipped on its head. When traffic started moving again, Morgan quickly turned the radio back on and they were off to Quantico.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed this fic
> 
> I don't plan on continuing this fic rn but maybe someday if you guys would like that
> 
> feel free to leave constructive criticism or advice


End file.
